About

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I’ve slowly realized that Center for Inspired Teaching was a huge part of shaping the way I view young people, myself as an educator, the system of education and my role in shoving it towards equity, inclusion and compassion.

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Our Team

Meet the individuals who are making Inspired Teaching a reality.

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Board of Directors

Bill Andresen, Associate Vice President for Federal Relations, University of Pennsylvania

Since July 2006, Bill has served as Associate Vice President for Federal Relations for the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Penn, he was Senior Vice President at Dutko Worldwide where he worked with a variety of organizations including many non-profits corporate clients. Before that, he was Vice President for Federal Affairs to the Democratic Leadership Council, where he served as a liaison to Democratic Members of Congress. Bill also served as Chief of Staff to Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, and during his time as Chief of Staff, he was repeatedly named one of the 50 most influential Congressional Staffers by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Bill is married with 3 kids. He has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California. He is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Center for Excellence in Education and is a Senior Advisor to Third Way.

Shelley Fidler, Chair; Principal, Van Ness Feldman

At Van Ness Feldman, Shelley supports clients and coalitions interested in policy and business strategies relating to energy innovation including smart grid, electricity, green buildings, energy efficiency, clean diesel engines, carbon capture, EPA regulation, and clean energy. She has worked with and trained clients in effective advocacy; brought former adversaries to new, constructive relationships; and assisted a prominent organization to manage its explosive growth.

Prior to joining Van Ness Feldman, Shelley held a variety of high profile positions within the federal government, including Chief of Staff to the President’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). She also served as the Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Assistant to the Chairman for Policy for the House Subcommittees on Fossil and Synthetic Fuels and Energy and Power for Congressman and Subcommittee Chair Philip Sharp (D-IN).

Shelley is a graduate of Brown University. In addition to serving on the Board of Center for Inspired Teaching, she is a member of the Keystone Center’s Energy Board, Treasurer and Board Member of the Energy and Environmental Study Institute, a member of the Women’s Leadership Council (WLC), and a mentor for the Women’s Launch Pad, both at Brown University. Shelley is a Founding Member of the Women’s Council on Energy and Environment (WCEE).

Shanika Hope is Vice President of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment for Discovery Education. She is responsible for providing leadership in the development of instructional resources including assessments and professional development content that underscores the role of digital content and technology in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the new assessment systems. Shanika serves as a thought leader and leading expert in the areas of curriculum, standards, assessment, and adult learning theory. Shanika has been with Discovery Education since 2010. Prior to joining the company, she managed and supported more than three dozen DC public schools and public charter schools in various capacities. Additionally, she served as a teacher, principal, and school turnaround specialist. She holds a PhD in Education and an MS in Math and Science Education from Old Dominion University and is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and ASCD.

Aleta founded Center for Inspired Teaching in 1995 to build a better school experience for students by shifting the role of the teacher from information provider to Instigator of Thought. An Instigator of Thought teaches students how to think, not just what to think; engages students in serious play; and designs classrooms so students are engaged intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Aleta is a former professor of education at American University, specializing in authentic assessment, science and math education, and curriculum reform. In her time as a public school teacher, Aleta taught both elementary and middle school and designed and ran alternative educational programs for court-referred high school students. In 2011, Aleta helped launch the Inspired Teaching Demonstration Public Charter School to serve as a demonstration site for Inspired Teaching’s instructional model. The Demonstration School also serves as a partner site for the Inspired Teacher Certification Program, a 24-month, state accredited residency program that selects, prepares, supports, and certifies exceptional individuals for long term teaching careers in the District of Columbia. Aleta and Inspired Teaching are shifting teacher practice through multi-year partnerships with DC Public Schools to train DC teachers to implement inquiry-based instruction and create new, standards-aligned curricula. In 2001, Aleta was awarded a Fellowship from Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, in recognition of Inspired Teaching’s innovative work. Aleta received her undergraduate degree at Brown University and her MS in Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University.

Jonathan Ng; Global Legal Director, Ashoka

Jonathan is the Global Legal Director and in-house legal counsel for Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. With 33 country offices and approximately 3,000 Fellows across 77 countries, Ashoka is the world’s largest association of leading social entrepreneurs. Jonathan oversees all in-house legal matters for Ashoka and manages all of its external pro bono legal relationships. Because social entrepreneurs do not fit neatly into the traditional nonprofit or for-profit categories, they are constantly pushing the boundaries of the laws that apply to them. As such, he also works with leading law schools and practitioners to identify new legal trends and respond to unique legal challenges facing social entrepreneurs. Jonathan will also be co-teaching a new law course called Lawyering to Social Entrepreneurs as an adjunct faculty member at American University’s Washington College of Law.

Prior to joining Ashoka, Jonathan practiced law at White & Case LLP in its New York office as a member of the energy, infrastructure and project finance practice group. He represented lenders and sponsors on various infrastructure and renewable energy project financings. While at his firm, he also served as a UN legal representative for a permanent observer mission (AALCO) during general assembly and Sixth Committee meetings at the UN headquarters and participated in a corporate secondment with the general counsel of The Legal Aid Society of New York, the oldest and largest non-profit legal services provider in the nation. Jonathan graduated from Notre Dame Law School and the University of Kansas.

Katherine is Assistant Vice President and Relationship Manager within the PNC Bank’s Trade Finance Group based in Washington, DC. She is responsible for managing existing and new relationships within the working capital guarantee portfolio, which is comprised of 46 Ex-Im working capital guaranteed loans totaling $459 million in exposure as of fiscal year end 2014. Her direct responsibilities include researching client profiles, identifying credit risks, developing and analyzing transaction structures, assessing financial performance, monitoring credit quality of portfolios and assuring compliance with the Ex-Im Working Capital Guarantee program. Katherine holds a BS in Finance from Wake Forest University, has passed all three levels of the CFA Examination, and will be eligible for the CFA charter upon completion of the required work experience.

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Staff

Miranda Brown; Manager, Research and Communications

Miranda works closely with the Director of Research & Evaluation while also leading the work of the Communications department. Before joining Inspired Teaching, Miranda was an associate at Day Pitney LLP in Boston, Massachusetts where her practice focused on commercial litigation and white collar defense. Originally from Murray, Kentucky, Miranda graduated from Yale University with Distinction in the English major and received her JD from the William & Mary School of Law.

Stephen Brown, Director of Finance and Operations

Stephen is responsible for overseeing the day to day financial operations of Inspired Teaching and for providing senior staff with monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports. Stephen has worked in the accounting profession for 12 years, gaining experience as an auditor, senior accountant, and Director of Accounting/Controller. During the course of his accounting career, Stephen also taught business education to middle school students before returning to the accounting profession in the non-profit sector. Stephen received his Master’s Degree in Accounting from Liberty University and his BS in Accounting from Hampton University. In addition, Stephen received a Master’s in Christian Education from The Carolina University of Theology and completed 12 graduate credit hours of education courses at Old Dominion University as part of his teacher certification for Prince William County, Virginia. Stephen is excited to bring his passion for accounting and the teaching profession to support the mission of Inspired Teaching.

Mara Duquette; Manager, Teacher Certification

Mara serves as a main point of contact for Inspired Teaching Fellows. She is responsible for state licensure and AmeriCorps as well as oversees recruitment and selection for Inspired Teaching Fellows. Mara joined Center for Inspired Teaching after earning her BS in Political Communication from Emerson College. She previously worked for Peace First Boston, coordinating college volunteers and teaching conflict resolution classes to elementary and middle school students. She has also volunteered as a dental assistant and Spanish translator in rural El Salvador.

Jane Ehrenfeld, Director of Teaching and Learning

Jane joins Inspired Teaching after serving as an attorney with the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education. Previously, she clerked for The Honorable Judith W. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and served as Deputy Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Public Policy. She received her JD, magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was a Public Interest Law Scholar. During law school, Jane interned for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and was also a summer associate at Relman, Dane, & Colfax, a civil rights litigation firm. Prior to law school Jane taught public school for eight years in Prince George’s County, Maryland and in Boston. Jane’s publications include a journal note in the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy entitled Making Lemonade: Restructuring the Transfer Provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, which grew out of a project that she presented with author Jonathan Kozol to Senator Edward Kennedy in December 2007. She has also published opinion pieces in several major publications. Jane holds a BA from Swarthmore College and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Pamela Greene, Operations Manager

Pamela Greene has worked as an operations manager and coordinator for several years in diverse companies. She is pleased to be putting her experience to work as part of a dynamic community that is passionate about education, social justice, and making a difference in the lives of children. At Center for Inspired Teaching she works with a team of staff members on organizational growth and strategic planning projects and manages day-to-day administrative operations. Pam attended Trinity College in Washington, DC.

Jessica Hiltabidel; Manager, Teaching and Learning

Formerly a Teacher Leader for the Inspired Teaching Institute for Mathematics Teachers in Baltimore City, Jessica now works with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and is responsible for management of program course instructors, mentors, and Fellow placement sites. She entered the teaching profession through the Baltimore City Teaching Residency and has taught numerous subjects including special education, elementary education, and middle school math and language arts. Jessica is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University with degrees in Biology and Psychology and has a Masters in Leadership and Teaching from the Notre Dame of Maryland University. Personally, she serves as the National President of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/ Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., a nationwide Latina-interest organization.

Sarah Hughes, Development Manager and Grant Writer

Sarah is a former reporter with ten years experience writing about life in the local public schools. Through this community-based role, she had the opportunity to talk with the many people who directly or indirectly influence local schools–from teachers to parent advocacy groups to lawmakers to local realtors to budget directors. Starting in 2010, Sarah worked as a contract writer and then as a program director for PDK International, an education association. Sarah has also worked closely with high school and elementary school students; she is the founding director of two youth media projects (Youth Voices and Colorado Youth News), and she taught third grade for two years in the late 1990s as part of the Teach for America program. She is a graduate of the UC, Berkeley Master of Journalism program.

Cosby Hunt; Manager, Teaching and Learning

Cosby works with BLISS: Building Literacy in the Social Studies and is the course creator and instructor for Real World History. He is a native Washingtonian who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Non-Western History at the University of Pennsylvania and began his teaching career in rural Georgia as part of the Teach for America program (’93 Corps). He stayed in Georgia to get his Master’s in Secondary Social Science Education at the University of Georgia. He returned home to DC in 1997 and spent thirteen years teaching social studies at Bell Multicultural High school (now the Columbia Heights Educational Campus) where he led the social studies department as well as the tennis and debate teams. Cosby earned his National Board Certification in 2006 and is one of only a handful of National Board Certified social studies teachers in the city.

Suzanne Katz; Director, Professional Development Academy and Senior Researcher

Suzanne began teaching math and science at the middle school level before building a comprehensive middle school theatre program that integrated core content and arts instruction. Upon completing her doctorate, she began teaching in the Department of Educational Studies at Ripon College where she developed and taught coursework in inquiry-based instruction, arts integration, and multicultural education, and conducted research on utilizing theatre as a means to develop intercultural dialogue between students. Suzanne has worked as an advocate for teacher preparation with the Wisconsin Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and as a proponent for arts education with the Educational Theatre Association and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Suzanne holds a BA from Smith College, an MA in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an EdD from the University of Nevada- Las Vegas.

Sammy Magnuson, Project Manager

Sammy manages projects and provides administrative support out of the Executive Director’s office. Her passion for building a better school experience started as a tutor and summer school teacher in several classrooms throughout DC. Prior to Inspired Teaching, Sammy worked at the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, a nonprofit that trains people and organizations in a community-centered approach to their work. She graduated from Georgetown University with a BA in American Studies and a minor in Theology.

Aleta Margolis, Founder and Executive Director

Aleta founded Center for Inspired Teaching in 1995 to build a better school experience for students by shifting the role of the teacher from information provider to Instigator of Thought. An Instigator of Thought teaches students how to think, not just what to think; engages students in serious play; and designs classrooms so students are engaged intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Aleta is a former professor of education at American University, specializing in authentic assessment, science and math education, and curriculum reform. In her time as a public school teacher, Aleta taught both elementary and middle school and designed and ran alternative educational programs for court-referred high school students. In 2011, Aleta helped launch the Inspired Teaching Demonstration Public Charter School to serve as a demonstration site for Inspired Teaching’s instructional model. The Demonstration School also serves as a partner site for the Inspired Teacher Certification Program, a 24-month, state accredited residency program that selects, prepares, supports, and certifies exceptional individuals for long term teaching careers in the District of Columbia. Aleta and Inspired Teaching are shifting teacher practice through multi-year partnerships with DC Public Schools to train DC teachers to implement inquiry-based instruction and create new, standards-aligned curricula. In 2001, Aleta was awarded a Fellowship from Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, in recognition of Inspired Teaching’s innovative work. Aleta received her undergraduate degree at Brown University and her MS in Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University.

Brittney Oswald, Program Associate

Brittney supports the Inspired Teacher Certification Program, recording and tracking information for all Inspired Teaching Fellows, while also serving as their main point of contact. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Emerson College, she interned at Boston Children’s Chorus and Boston Children’s Theatre, supporting production and program management. She also directed and performed in one of Emerson College’s competitive a cappella groups. Upon graduation, she worked as a technology editorial assistant at National Geographic Learning in Boston, helping to create ELL e-products, before moving to Washington DC.

Robyn Sperling, Director of Research and Evaluation

Robyn began working in education as a program instructor at a civic education organization in Washington, DC and then spent five years teaching high school social studies in New York City. Most recently, she worked as a researcher at the Institute for Education and Social Policy while earning her PhD in Educational Administration, Leadership, and Policy at NYU. Robyn’s dissertation research focuses on charter school founders in New York City. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Caitlin Wolf, Program Associate

Caitlin provides support to the BLISS: Building Literacy in the Social Studies, SCALE: Science Curriculum Advancement through Literacy Enhancement, and Real World History programs. Before joining Inspired Teaching, she was in Botswana, where she served in the Peace Corps teaching literacy and life skills related to HIV/AIDS education and also managed the country’s first Montessori school. Originally from Maine, she has a BA in European history from the University of Vermont and an MA in religious history from Boston College.

David Yarmchuk; Senior Manager, Science Education

Dave leads the SCALE: Science Content Advancement through Literacy Enhancement program. His 12+ years in science education began with six years as a classroom science teacher in Baltimore, and he proceeded from there to outdoor educator, curriculum specialist, and teacher coach. He has worked in charter schools and traditional public schools, with students in grades K-12. The focus of his work has been with low-income students and students of color in Baltimore, Washington DC, and Prince George’s County. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University and his Masters in Education from the University of Maryland. He currently serves on the OSSE State Science Leadership Team and co-anchors the In School Time committee for the DC STEM Network.

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Faculty

Norman Allen

Norman served as an English teacher, department chair, and mentor at Cesar Chavez Charter High School in DC and is the founder and former director of the “Signature in the Schools” theater outreach program. Also a professional playwright, his work has been commissioned and produced by the Kennedy Center, the Shakespeare Theater Company, Olney Theatre, and the Karlin Music Theatre in Prague, among others. His plays for young actors, which include Jenny Saint Joan and Waiting In Tobolsk/The Children of the Last Tsar, are published by Playscripts, Inc. His essays have appeared in The Washington Post and Smithsonian Magazine and are heard frequently on WAMU-FM (NPR).

George Antwi-Obimpeh

George, originally hailing from Ohio, is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a Social Studies teacher at Theodore Roosevelt Sr. High School in Washington, DC. He teaches US History and Advanced Placement US History and Modern World History II. After graduating from Kent State University, George taught for a year in Ohio before arriving in the District of Columbia. Now entering his third year in DC Public Schools, he could not be happier about his decision to teach Social Studies in DC.

Thora Balk

As an early childhood consultant, Inspired Teaching mentor, and PreK and kindergarten teacher for more than ten years, Thora focuses on ensuring that all learners receive differentiated instruction that takes into account diverse learning styles and interests. A member of Capital City Public Charter School’s Instructional Leadership Team, Thora collaborates with teachers and administrators to ensure a supportive teaching community that utilizes best instructional practices. Thora has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton.

Victoria Barr

Victoria Barr is a BLISS Content Expert. Victoria started studying Russian language at the age of 16, attending Bryn Mawr’s Russian Language Institute while she was still in high school. She received her BA in Russian Language and Culture from Columbia University in 2012, and a Master’s degree in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University in 2014. She has studied at St. Petersburg State University in Russia, and during the 2013-14 academic year, she instructed elementary and intermediate Russian language courses at Georgetown.

Brandi Beers

Brandi graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2001 with a BS in Elementary Education, receiving a MS EDU in Early Literacy Education (B-6) in 2005. She taught fifth grade math in McGraw, NY before spending two years working for the New York Migrant Education Department as a Migrant Specialist. Since moving to Washington, DC in 2005, she’s taught at Community Academy Public Charter School in Northwest DC, instructing second graders (for five years), third graders (for two years), and began teaching first graders in September 2012. She is dedicated to teaching all levels and honored to have the opportunity to do something she is truly passionate about.

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a social studies teacher at Roosevelt STAY Senior High School in Petworth. She teaches World History I, World History II, World Geography and Cultures, DC History and Government, U.S. History, and Principles of U.S. Government.

Kent Buckley-Ess

Kent is a National Board Certified teacher who specializes in teaching English as a second language. Fluent in both English and Spanish, he has taught all levels of learners, from preK through graduate school, in New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Paraguay, South America, and Leicester, England. Kent’s passion is finding ways to make grade level content accessible to all students regardless of English language ability, special accommodations, previous schooling, or other perceived obstacles. He has twelve years’ experience as a mentor and instructional coach, and his continual focus remains on recognizing where teachers are along the differentiation continuum and then challenging them to incorporate more inclusive teaching techniques, differentiated learning activities, and alternative assessments.

Stephanie Bunton

Stephanie is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a 12th grade social studies teacher at Columbia Heights Educational Campus, where she has been teaching for the last four years. Previously, she helped found a project-based charter school in Pittsburgh, PA. When Stephanie was in high school, she hated social studies until she had a teacher who encouraged her to think for herself. Armed with the tools to uncover the meaning of historic events, Stephanie realized the power in teaching social studies. She is determined to prepare students to think for themselves and refine their problem solving and communication skills in order to effectively express their own ideas.

Pam Cogas

Pam is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a teacher and department chair at Calvin Coolidge SHS in Washington, DC. She currently teaches 11th grade US History and 10th grade AP World History.

Lenore Cohen

Lenore is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She worked for Johns Hopkins University coordinating a full-time School Immersion MAT program and continued supervision for Johns Hopkins early childhood and elementary beginning teachers in a part-time MAT program.

Margot de Ferranti

Margot is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She worked as a lawyer for the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Department of Justice until she changed careers to become a teacher. Margot took a course from Aleta at American University and participated in the Workshop in the Art of Teaching (now the Inspired Teaching Institute). She taught English for four years at Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School. On behalf of Inspired Teaching, Margot has led a workshop for beginning high school English, social studies, and foreign language teachers who are getting certified through AU’s AQUE program.

Melanie R. Duncan

Melanie is a BLISS Teacher Leader and teaches World History & Geography I at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, DC. Raised in Syracuse, NY, she had dreams of becoming a successful journalist. After completing her undergraduate studies in print journalism at Howard University, she became a reporter for two years but decided to make a real impact in the black community by teaching in low-performing schools in the inner-city. She earned her Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and is now a seventh-year teacher.

Sarah Elwell

Sarah is a BLISS Teacher Leader and in her seventh year as a library media specialist in DC Public Schools (DCPS). She entered the library after eight years as a secondary English teacher in DCPS. She has worked as a local professional development instructor through the Washington Teachers’ Union and has been a national trainer with the American Federation of Teachers since 2009. A native Washingtonian and graduate of DCPS, she is dedicated to enhancing the quality of instruction and educational opportunities for every student.

Adam Evans

Adam Evans is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a Ballou Knight. At Ballou High School, he teaches 11th Grade AP US History, 12th Grade AP Government, and DC History and Government. Beginning in school year 2013-14, Adam has served as Department Chair for Social Studies.

Maya Garcia

Maya has been a science teacher at Hardy Middle School, a DC Public School, since 2006. She graduated with a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Mount Holyoke College and completed a Master’s in Teaching from American University in Washington, DC in 2008. Maya has served on the teacher advisory board for several local museums and actively works to advance science education in Washington, DC. She is President of the DC Science Teachers Association and was the featured teacher at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in 2011. Maya enjoys international travel, and was awarded a Distinguished Fulbright Teaching Award in 2010 to travel and study in South Africa. She is inspired by her students and co-workers and loves learning.

Emily Gasoi

Emily is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She has worn many hats over the course of her fifteen year career as an educator, including classroom teacher, curriculum and assessment developer, new teacher mentor, researcher, and adjunct professor. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include professional learning communities, alternative assessment, and the cultivation of internal accountability within schools.

Rosemary Goodman

Rosemary is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She is a former elementary school teacher and principal and spent her 26 years in education working at Blairstown Elementary School in Blairstown, New Jersey. Ms. Goodman holds a BS in Elementary Education from Centenary College, a Masters in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University, and Masters degrees in Educational Technology and Educational Leadership, both from Lehigh University. She is currently mentoring six fellows enrolled in the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and is looking forward to a very memorable and rewarding experience.

Sandra Grizelji

Sandra is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. After studying European Studies and French at New York University, Sandra went on to earn a Master of Arts in Childhood/Elementary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has seven years of lead teaching experience working in New York City and Northern Virginia, in both private and charter schools. Most recently she co-taught in an Integrated Co-Teaching classroom, serving a high population of students with special needs. This experience prompted her to pursue further graduate coursework in Bilingual Special Education, which she is currently doing at The George Washington University.

Patricia Hart

Patricia Hart is a BLISS Content Expert. Patricia is a communications coordinator and “Promote Our Vote” project director at FairVote, where she has worked since 2012. Focusing primarily on voting rights advocacy, Patricia runs FairVote’s “Promote Our Vote” project. She also develops and coordinates advocacy for FairVote’s Representation 2020 project. During her time on these projects, Patricia has appeared on C-SPAN, HuffPost Live, and written op-eds for publications such as The Hill.

Sally Hermann

Sally is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and brings more than 30 years of teaching and mentoring experience to the Inspired Teaching team. During her career, she traveled the United States teaching in eight states and in the District of Columbia for public, private, and charter schools. Making her home in Arlington, VA, she spent her last fourteen years of classroom instruction teaching third grade at the Sidwell Friends Lower School. In 1999, Sally left the classroom and joined the adjunct faculty of American University where she supervised student teachers and mentored teachers for alternative certification programs. She has also provided teacher training and supervision for the Sasha Bruce Youth Build GED program and is currently a member of the Board of Directors at The Academy of Hope, an adult education organization that provides education and job skills training to low income and at-risk adults in Washington, DC.

Kim Hill

Kim has a BA in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Bible from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio and a MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. She began teaching in Ohio, first as a long term substitute then as an team teacher in a small charter school that serves children who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, AD/HD and other related disorders. In 2006 she and her husband moved to the DC area and she began working as a Pre-K teacher at Community Academy Public Charter School (CAPCS), then Janney Elementary School to teach Kindergarten.

Judy Holton

Judy is a retired DC Public School teacher with 30 years of service in DC. During her time in the classroom, her expertise was Special Education. Judy is a graduate of Inspired Teaching’s 1998-99 Workshop in the Art of Teaching (now the Inspired Teaching Institute), and has served as an Inspired Teaching mentor since 2001. Judy also dedicates her time to volunteering at both the Phillips Collection and the Museum of Natural History.

Rhonda T. Humphries

Rhonda is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a Social Studies Teacher at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington, DC. Rhonda teaches 9th and 12th grade World History I and DC History.

Eugene Imas

Eugene Imas is a BLISS Content Expert. Eugene is the Program and Outreach Officer at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES) at Georgetown University. He received his Masters degree from CERES in 2011. Eugene was born in St. Petersburg, Russia (then known as Leningrad, Soviet Union), and his family emigrated to the US in 1989. Eugene served in the Peace Corps and spent two years as the American Studies Center Coordinator at Naryn State University in the country of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia.

Carmen Jenkins

Carmen is an artist and visual arts educator. She has been teaching in the DC Public Schools system since 2001. She has a BA in Graphic Design from Hampton University and a MFA in Electronic Studio Art from Howard University. Carmen teaches at Truesdell Education Campus, grades K-8, and at Ballou STAY, an alternative high school.

May-Ling Joa

May-Ling has an MA from McGill University in Educational Leadership and a BA in Early Childhood Education. She is currently enrolled in the special education program at Catholic University. In the past 12 years, she has performed as a teacher, coordinator, researcher, and mentor — working in Montreal, Washington, DC and the Dominican Republic. She is also on the executive team of Young Education Professionals-DC and Explore Dominican Republic, a non-profit that supports under served communities in the DR through educational and health initiatives. She has been part of the Inspired Teaching team since 2012.

Liz King

Liz is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She has a MA from UC-Berkeley in Educational Psychology and a BA from Middlebury College. She has been involved in the field of education for 20 years as a teacher, tutor, curriculum developer, and consultant – working in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Singapore. She is on the Board of Directors for Caring for Cambodia – a non-profit supporting fifteen government schools in Siem Reap, Cambodia – and played a central role in the development of its Teacher Training Project. She has been a mentor with Center for Inspired Teaching since 2007.

Sebastian Kreindel

Sebastian is a BLISS Teacher Leader and teaches 9th grade World History I and 10th grade World History II in Spanish at Columbia Heights Education Campus in Washington, DC.

Dr. Benjamin Loring

Benjamin Loring is a BLISS Content Expert. Benjamin is Associate Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES) at Georgetown University. He received his PhD in Comparative History from Brandeis University and researches nation-building, economic development, and cultural change in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Since 1997, he has worked, studied, and traveled extensively throughout the former Soviet Union, including long stays in Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan.

Wylene Fatade McKnight

Fatade is a retired DCPS elementary school teacher who remains invested in the education system. As a mentor, she enjoys encouraging young teachers to enthusiastically spread the joy of learning to their students through inquiry. As a substitute teacher, she relishes working with students at different schools and observing their many successes. She also enjoys crochet, African dance, yoga, pilates, and line dancing.

Dr. Angela McRae

Dr. Angela McRae is a SCALE Content Expert. Angela earned her doctorate in Human Development with a specialization in Educational Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has experience teaching at the 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade levels, as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Angela has over ten years of experience as part of the Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction team, where she designed curriculum and measures for a program that integrated science, reading, and motivation for elementary and middle school students. Angela is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at The Catholic University of America, the Coordinator for STEM Education, and the Co-organizer for the CUA STEM Initiative.

Patricia Miller

Patricia is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and a veteran educator with more than 20 years of experience teaching and leading in public, independent, and international schools. She has a passion for building innovative frameworks and instructional programs that help all students succeed. As a Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader, she was recognized as a powerful force for increasing student learning, adult growth, and school improvement. In addition to teaching and mentoring at the elementary level, Patricia has experience as an adjunct instructor, faculty trainer, and presenter at numerous national educational conferences including NAEYC and SACS. She earned a BS in Elementary Education from St. John’s University, a Master of Arts in Adult Learning from Ball State University, and administrative credentials from the University of Virginia.

Patricia Michelle Odom

Patricia is a SCALE Teacher Leader and is entering her seventh year as a middle school science teacher. Patricia earned her BS in Biology and her MA in Teaching Secondary Education from Jackson State University in her home state of Mississippi. This fall, she will begin her fourth year at Kelly Miller Middle School, a public turn-around school in Washington, DC. At Kelly Miller, Patricia has served as team leader of multiple teams and has also worked to coordinate and facilitate many of the Positive Behavior Support events. This year, Patricia returns as a Teacher Leader for The Academy at Kelly Miller, an academic acceleration program for gifted and talented students. She will work to help teachers in her school implement a School-Wide Enrichment Model in which all students are immersed in enriching and experiential learning opportunities in all of their classrooms. She will also work closely with the science team to enhance inquiry-based instructional practices. In addition to her teaching and leadership roles, Patricia facilitates the school’s annual science fair and coaches the girl’s basketball team.

Dr. Heidi O’Gilvie

Heidi O’Gilvie is a SCALE Content Expert. Heidi earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction – Teacher Preparation & Professional Development from the University of Maryland, College Park. In her current capacity, she is Director of the Center for Urban Education at the University of the District of Columbia leading a cutting edge teacher education program and several partnerships around the region. In addition, she is a widely sought after consultant with one of the top firms in the country. Heidi teaches a number of literacy, curriculum planning, and introductory and advanced courses for pre-service and in-service practitioners and administrators. She is a diligent researcher interested in studying the ways in which teachers engage students and promote literacy in P-12 classrooms. Her most recent publication will be featured in a text published by the International Reading Association. Heidi is excited about the opportunity to blend theory and practice into authentic content development.

Eileen Pascucci

Eileen is a SCALE Teacher Leader and is excited to be starting her 11th year of teaching as the newest member of the Duke Ellington School for the Arts science department. She will be teaching 9th grade Biology and 10th grade Chemistry at Ellington, providing inquiry-based instruction as part of the SCALE:Science Curriculum Advancement through Literacy Enhancement team.

Tricia Peterson

Tricia has more than a decade of experience as an educator in District of Columbia Public and Charter Schools. She most recently joined the Lesley University adjunct faculty, teaching literacy courses, mentoring, and coaching in DC for the Urban Teacher Center’s residency certification master’s program. In addition, she serves as adjunct professor for the University of the District of Columbia’s National Center for Urban Education – Urban Teacher Academy. Specializing in effective strategies for training teachers to facilitate literacy among urban readers and writers – regardless of special needs, first language or reading ability – she believes every teacher and child can succeed and feels strongly that an excellent education for every student is the key to all our futures. To that end, she is dedicated to using her expertise to support new DC teachers by serving as a mentor with the esteemed Center for Inspired Teaching in Washington, DC.

Monique Phillips

After studying Studio Art and Secondary Education at the University of Maryland, Monique started her teaching career in 2009 as a member of the first cohort of Inspired Teaching Fellows. Upon completion of the program, she landed her dream job teaching preKindergarten for DC Public Schools. Since then, she has been a highly rated teacher each year, and looks forward to many more years in the classroom. Monique returned to Center for Inspired Teaching to serve as a mentor and a course instructor. She is completing a Master’s in the Art of Teaching at Trinity College and is an advocate and activist for educational equity.

Sarah Radomsky

Sarah Radomsky is a BLISS Content Expert. Sarah graduated from Georgetown University with a BA in Russian and will begin a Master’s program in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies at Georgetown the fall of 2014. She has lived and studied in Slovakia, Tajikistan, and Russia. Her main research interests are nationalism and Islam in Central Asia.

Lashunda Reynolds

Lashunda is a BLISS Teacher Leader and a McKinley Tech Trainer. At McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC, she teaches AP US Government, DC History, and American Government. Ms. Reynolds has spearheaded the Black History Programs in her school in the past years.

Dr. Blair A. Ruble

Blair Ruble is a BLISS Content Expert. Blair is currently Vice President for Programs at the Wilson Center and Director of the Program’s Urban Policy Laboratory. Previously, he served for nearly a quarter century as the Director of the Kennan Institute, while simultaneously coordinating the Center’s programming in Comparative Urban Studies. He received his MA and PhD degrees in Political Science from the University of Toronto (1973, 1977), and an AB degree with Highest Honors in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1971). He has edited more than a dozen volumes and is the author of six monographic studies, including Washington’s U Street: A Biography (2010). A native of New York, Dr. Ruble worked previously at the Social Science Research Council in New York City (1985-1989) and at the National Council for Soviet and East European Research (1982-1985).

Diane Sims

Diane is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. After receiving her undergraduate degree from SUNY at Stony Brook, Diane pursued graduate studies, earning a Master’s in Public Administration. She worked for the International City Management Association before migrating to a successful career as a government contractor and consultant to Federal, state, and local government agencies. She transitioned to education after acquiring a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University (AU). She’s taught in elementary school classrooms for eight years and has since served as an instructional coach and mentor to beginning and veteran teachers in the DC area. She has taught undergraduate courses at the University of the District of Columbia and is an adjunct faculty member at AU’s SETH Program.

Dr. Edie Tatel

Edie is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and has mentored Inspired Teachers and Fellows since the organization’s first days in 1995. She has been a classroom teacher in Chicago, IL and Ypsilanti, MI public schools and at the University of Chicago Laboratory School; Director of Teacher Education at American University; Director of Professional Development at Teach for America; and consultant for the DC Public Charter School Board. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School, Americans All, and Math for America, and is an enthusiastic recorder musician.

Michael Taylor

Michael is a BLISS Teacher Leader and teaches 10th and 11th grade at McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC. He teaches World History II and U.S. History.

Winfred Thomas

Winfred is a SCALE Teacher Leader and a Randle Highlands Hornet. At Randle Highlands, he serves as a math specialist. He spent six years in Norfolk Public Schools as a math specialist before coming to DC Public Schools as a 3rd grade math/science teacher at Amidon-Bowen.

Tisha Thompson

After completing her BA in Chemistry and Zoology, Tisha joined the Teach for America corp in rural North Carolina. She participated in classroom research and curriculum development with the University of Wisconsin, Madison, MUSE program and taught and created science and math curricula for two high schools. She currently designs exhibits and curricula for the Living Arts and Science Center in Lexington, KY and plays in the creek with her two young children.

Jessica Tomback

Jessica Tomback was a public elementary school teacher in DC for seven years before spending the past few years teaching in a variety of early childhood settings. In addition to her role at the Center for Inspired Teaching, Jessica is a member of the adjunct faculty at GWU, where she has taught courses and currently supervises intern teachers. She received her degree of Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction in 2012.

Dr. Richard Van Metter

Dr. Van Metter is a SCALE Content Expert and physicist, now retired from the Kodak Research Laboratories. His 30-year career was focused on improving the quality of radiographic images, both film and digital. In that time, he had the opportunity to work on a wide range of things—from the silver-halide emulsion technology to fundamental properties of the human visual system. Over the years, he contributed to or edited eight books, wrote more than 70 research papers, gave many lectures, and has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He currently consults part-time and remains an emeritus member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. One of his most passionate research interests has been digital image-processing to help radiologists diagnose diseases and injury more easily.

Lisa Wang

Lisa Wang is a BLISS Content Expert. Lisa is the Deputy Director of Laogai Museum, a museum for education, advocacy, and dialogue about human rights in China.

Judy White

Judy is a mentor with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. She is a teacher, playwright, poet, director, and actor who specializes in ensemble-guided playwriting and working with young artists. A notable teacher in the DC area, she was profiled in The Washingtonian in 1987. She did graduate work at Oberlin, ACT, and as a Fellow at Northwestern University. She taught drama to Inspired Teaching’s founder and Executive Director, Aleta Margolis, and to Jeanne Harrison, Traveling Players’ Producing Artistic Director. Judy taught drama and speech for 26 years at the Holton-Arms Schools, where she trained Seinfeld’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus. In 2005, she took Inspired Teaching to Gujurat, India, where she gave a series of workshops to teachers at Kala Raksha School. A student of ancient myths, Judy has written four plays based in world mythology, and recently wrote a new play, Pandora’s Fire, for Travel Players Ensemble in Great Falls, Virginia.

Dr. Dwayne Williams

Dwayne has spent more than 20 years working with teachers and students ranging from preK to graduate level learners. Currently an adjunct assistant professor at Leslie University, he also serves as an Inspired Teacher Mentor and as adjunct faculty in Inspired Teaching’s partnership with DC Public Schools, Building Literacy in the Social Studies (BLISS). His areas of expertise include interdisciplinary staff development, urban school reform, relationship-based discipline, social studies and history curricula, project-based learning, and African, African-American, and maritime histories. Dwayne graduated with a BA from Macalaster College magna cum laude and received his PhD in History and African Studies from the University of Minnesota.

Nichole Wilson

Nichole is a SCALE Teacher Leader and a School Librarian for Langdon Education Campus in Washington, DC. She serves grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Dr. Otto C. Wilson Jr.

Dr. Wilson is a SCALE Content Expert and an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Catholic University of America. Dr. Wilson earned a BS (1988), MS (1991) and PhD in Ceramic Science and Engineering at Rutgers University. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland on enhanced machinability of dental ceramic materials (1995-96) and was a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral fellow at John’s Hopkins in 1996 prior to joining the Materials Science and Engineering faculty at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Wilson became a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Catholic University in 2003 and established the Biomimetics, Orthopedics, and Nanomaterials Education/Composite Research for Advanced Biomaterials (BONE/CRAB) Lab. The research vision of the BONE/CRAB Lab is to develop nanophase materials to enhance the healing and remodeling of hard tissue at the whole tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels. Dr. Wilson’s research interests include biomineralization phenomena, nanomaterials chemistry, biological liquid crystals, and the synthesis and surface modification of hydroxyapatite. Dr Wilson was awarded a NSF CAREER Award (DMR-0645675) in 2007 for his work involving bone inspiration in research and education. He is very active in K-12 educational outreach and developing tools and teaching methodologies to encourage young people to excel in STEM education.

Kelly Worland

Kelly began her career in education as an elementary school teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia and New York City Public Schools. She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education, and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland at College Park. Her research interests include elementary writing development, teacher education, and professional development. In addition to her work as a classroom teacher and researcher, Kelly has served as a mentor and course instructor for Center for Inspired Teaching, the University of Maryland, and George Washington University.